threenager problems Archives

Daily Life

Toddler Power Struggles

Posted on May 31, 2018

Let’s talk toddler power struggles. Katie’s new thing is to wear 2 different shoes – which we are completely fine with. We try to let her make choices in her life whenever possible. I think we give her a fair amount of control for a toddler.

Lately we’ve been noticing Katie will ask for things and we aren’t even sure she wants anything

Lately we’ve been noticing Katie will ask for things and we aren’t even sure she wants anything – it’s like she just wants to see what we’ll give her. It usually goes something like, “I need water pleeeease!” (Of course in the whinest voice ever like she has been dying of thirst for 3 days.) So after we do the whole “How do you ask?” song and dance, we give her water.

Obviously we don’t want to deny her things she needs, but this game is getting kind of ridiculous.

Then it’s “I need milk!” “I need a snack!” “Can we watch something on tv?” “Can we go outside?” “Can we go home?” (She has literally asked me this while we are sitting on our couch AT HOME.) Obviously we don’t want to deny her things she needs, but this game is getting kind of ridiculous. It’s especially bad at bedtime, which is a whole separate stalling issue, I think. But the nonstop asking for things is driving me crazy. However, I’m not about to say no when my kid asks for water. Does anyone else’s kids do this? And how do you handle it?

Daily Life

Threenager Problems. Send help.

Posted on May 3, 2018

Okay friends, looking for all the advice right now because this little threenager has been… what’s a nicer word for horrible? Yeah… she’s been that. Typically things go in 2 week cycles around here. We’ll get a phase where she seems to be listening well, using her words, following directions, and I think to myself, maybe she’s just growing up! And then it’s like a flip switches overnight and I have a demon child. (Oops, I mean, a strong-willed child who struggles with listening…)

And then it’s throwing, hitting, stomping, shouting, being mean to her sister, all without pausing in between one bad thing to the next!

And then it’s throwing, hitting, stomping, shouting, being mean to her sister, all without pausing in between one bad thing to the next! I am exhausted. I have tried talking to her one on one when Isabelle isn’t around asking what’s going on and am only getting answers like “I hit her because I didn’t want her to hit me” or “because I wanted to be near her” or “because I wasn’t behaving.” Basically not getting answers. Isabelle is newly walking so maybe the extra attention she’s getting is making Katie jealous.

We are trying our best when Isabelle is awake, too, to split the attention, but Isabelle also needs attention

We have been trying to give K more one on one time and even been doing games just the three of us every night after Isabelle goes to bed. We are trying our best when Isabelle is awake, too, to split the attention, but Isabelle also needs attention. She’s excited about walking and looks at us all proud and I don’t want to feel like we can’t get excited for her because we’re scared it will set Katie off. That’s not fair either.

I’m seriously at my wit’s end.

I know any day now the cycle will switch again and we’ll be back to better days, but I need help in the mean time. I’m seriously at my wit’s end. I would like to get through this without having everything in our house broken, without Isabelle getting hurt, with my sanity, and preferably without any new wrinkles (is that last too much to ask?)